Lily and the Orange Butterfly
Lily walked into her big backyard.
The grass was green and soft under her feet.
The sun was shining bright today.
Lily loved to look at the pretty flowers.
She saw a flash of bright color.
Something orange was floating in the air.
It was a monarch butterfly!
Lily felt very happy to see it.
The butterfly had big, pretty wings.
The wings had black spots and thin black lines.
Lily stopped moving right away.
She stood as still as a stone statue.
The monarch landed on a bright orange flower.
This flower is called a zinnia.
Lily watched the butterfly drink from the flower.
It used a long, thin tube to sip sweet nectar.
The butterfly flapped its wings slowly.
Up and down, up and down they went.
Lily could see the white spots on the edges.
The butterfly looked like a little piece of art.
The garden was very quiet and peaceful.
Lily could hear the bees humming nearby.
The monarch stayed on the flower for a long time.
It seemed to like the warm sun on its back.
Lily wanted to reach out and touch it.
But she knew she must be gentle and kind.
She just watched the beautiful insect rest.
It was the brightest thing in the whole garden.
- Monarch:
- A large, colorful orange and black butterfly known for its long flights.
- Nectar:
- A sweet liquid produced by flowers that insects and birds like to drink.
- Zinnia:
- A type of bright, colorful garden flower.
- Statue:
- A figure made of stone or wood that stays very still.
- Breeze:
- A light and gentle wind.
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Main Idea
Identify the central idea and explain how important details develop it.
Context Clues
Use clues in the passage to work out what words mean. A separate printable Vocabulary worksheet is also available.
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Select, organize, and restate the most important information without adding opinion.
Structure
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1Where did Lily go at the start of the story?
- 2What color was the butterfly that Lily saw in the air?
About this short story passage for Lower Elementary
“Lily and the Orange Butterfly” is a short story reading passage about Nature, written for Lower Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (304 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.